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Enjoying a late lunch at Granny's with Killian, Emma was surprised to see Storybrooke's Mayor pass the door.
As usual when the former Queen was making her entrance in a public place, people looked at her funny, something she enjoyed in the past but now it was more annoying than anything else. Not in a hurry but wanting to get out of the Diner as quickly as possible, she placed her order and waited making sure not to mind the customers. Unfortunately for her, one customer was not afraid to come talk to her.
"Hey." Emma said joining the older woman. "I thought there was a town meeting this afternoon." Emma said to the woman surprised to see her here.
Standing there, all Queen-like, Regina first smiled at the younger woman but it quickly faltered as she crossed the look of Emma's companion for lunch. "There is."
Emma waited in vain for the woman to elaborate. "I'm … pretty sure it was supposed to start half an hour ago."
"Well they can't start without me, can they?"
To an outsider, the mayor's attitude would not raise alarm, she was her usual cold self after all. But to Emma, the exchange was extremely unpleasant. Indeed, this cool demeanor was now rarely present between them. There were only a few time anymore when Emma would feel this rejected by the woman and each time it was because the woman had been mad at her. Emma tried to recall the past few days but to her knowledge they had been uneventful.
"People are expecting to see the Sheriff during those meetings you know, not just her Deputy."
Me, skipping off the meeting could be the reason for her foul mood, Emma thought to herself. It wasn't the first time she chose to skip those meetings, those things were boring her to no end. Besides, if Regina wanted her to be there she would just say so.
No, this was something else.
From his seat, Killian was carefully watching Emma. Even if he knew the former Queen had the trust of the Charming family, he could not miss the way Emma was tensing up right now while talking to the Mayor, and it worried him. Leaving his seat, he joined the women. "Madam Mayor."
Regina barely glanced at him. "Pirate" she said coldly.
Although he felt the awkwardness in the exchange, Killian stood still before her.
"I'm surprised to see you up this early in the day … from what I hear you like to spend your nights sharing the dwarfs' collection of bottles."
"Not every nights." He answered smiling in Emma's direction. The woman looked at him incredulous.
"Still as I remember you." The Mayor said with barely contained disdain.
"And how is that?"
"Drunk, crude and always so close to meet one of my fireballs."
The dark smile that broke on the former Queen's face sent a shiver to the surrounding crowd. Now Emma feared for her Pirate's life. She motioned to him to cut it out and wait for her at their booth which Killian did without much of a fight.
Wanting to break the ice, she invited Regina to join them.
"Another time maybe." Regina said eyeing haughtily the man behind her. Emma didn't insist and went back to her seat disappointed.
Regina watched as Red brought the couple their food, and sighed at the greasy plate she placed before the Sheriff.
Red approached the Mayor with her food. "There you go Madam Mayor."
"You do realize Snow will have your wolf's head if she finds out what you're feeding her daughter."
Red laughed at this. "Emma didn't tell me you were in on our little deal."
"I'm not participating. But Snow is right, she can't keep on eating–"
"I'm sorry, i'm sorry … did I just hear you say that you agreed with Snow?" The waitress said faking shock. "Where are the recording machines when we need them!"
"Very funny. If I were you, I'd be careful with my attitude. I'm still not totally convinced I should keep this little deal of yours to myself."
Red scoffed at the threat. "Please, you're as defenseless as we all are against the Charmings' charming powers."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Really? Despite being mandatory for all town employees, Emma manages to skip every single one meeting you organize with your blessing. She is the only one around here with this kind of special treatment. I wonder how she does it?" she pretended to ask herself. "And last time Snow did something you disapproved of..."
"If you're talking about the time she was so drunk that she broke a window trying to enter my house while you stood there laughing at the whole scene, it's not just me, everyone would find this behavior foolish."
"She thought she had lost her keys!"
"It was 8pm, the door was open, she didn't need keys."
Red waved her excuses aside. "Anyway, the second she gave you those big puppy eyes, you let her in and all was forgiven."
"That's absolutely NOT what happened."
"I rest my case. You're way more lenient here than you ever were in the Enchanted Forest."
Regina looked at her in disbelief, "I'm surrounded by idiots" she murmured to herself before leaving.
"Hey kiddo." Red said cheerfully as her goddaughter was joining her.
"Was she okay?"
"Regina?" Emma nodded at the question. "Yes, why?"
"I don't know, it was strange. It felt like … like she was her old self." Her evil self, she thought but refused to say outloud.
"I don't think it was directed at you."
"What do you mean?"
"Emma, we may have found a common ground with Regina but it's not true for everyone." The Sheriff followed the direction of Red's gaze.
"Killian?"
The woman nodded. "Maybe you should talk to her about it."
Like it was often the case, the town meeting lasted well into the evening. Regina rejoiced when she finally was able to go back home. Entering she was met with the embrace of her thief.
"Emma is here." Robin informed while helping her out of her coat. Regina frowned at this wondering about the reason of the presence of the blond.
The cold hit her when she stepped onto her terrace. Seeing the Sheriff lying on a deckchair wrapped up in a coat, she sighed. "You're going to catch a cold."
Emma looked up hearing the voice but didn't move. "I had no other choice. Robin wouldn't stop asking me what was on tv. Each time we were changing channel he wanted to know how the images were made. Either I was getting out of there or I would have hit him."
Regina smiled knowingly "It's endearing."
"To you maybe." Emma said crossing her arms even more tightly around herself. The gesture wasn't lost on Regina.
"Come inside, you're going to freeze out there."
Her words didn't seem to reach the blond's ears though. Robin was not able to find out the reason of Emma's presence here. It wasn't the first time Emma had showed up on their doorstep unannounced. Sometimes she would show up to spend some time with Henry, sometimes after a fight with either one of her parent or to give them some privacy. Sometimes it was Snow she would find in her salon playing with Roland. She often reflected about those times and the fact that her house had become the place to meet for their weird family. Of course, at first she wasn't pleased at the intrusions but now ... well now she was the one inciting them to come over.
Tonight though, the reason of Emma's presence was a mystery to her. "Why are you here?" She asked while seating on a deckchair beside Emma's.
"I wanted to talk to you. About Killian." The Sheriff answered not shying away from the question.
"What about him?" Regina chose to keep her voice even. She could feel Emma was on the defensive, the last thing she wanted was for the young woman to raise her walls like she was known to do when feeling uncomfortable.
Emma moved to sit properly on the deckchair, rewrapping her arms quickly around herself. "You don't like him." She said glancing at the Mayor.
"That's the understatement of the century."
"Well I like him."
"I know." Regina answered without missing a beat.
"Henry likes him too."
At that, Regina sighed, "I know he does."
"I don't like that you don't like him."
"I've known him since before you were ever born. He's the kind of man I've learned not to trust."
"He's changed like you did."
"Maybe." Regina reflected on her past exchanges with the man. It was true the man was different now but she also knew he still had a bone to pick with Gold and she knew the man was not ready to move on. That was what was worrying to her. She wasn't sure why she was caring that much about the two idiots relationship. At first, she managed to convince herself that it was because of Henry, to protect him from another disappointment when it came to father's figures. But lately, she had to admit to herself that it was not the reason … at least not the only reason. "What do you want from me?"
Frankly, Emma didn't have an answer to that, at least an answer she was willing to share right now. She rubbed her face trying to fend off the frustration she was feeling. The move alarmed the former Queen.
"There's nothing to be upset about. I dislike most of the people of this town ..."
Emma looked at her, "I don't go out with most of the people of Storybrooke."
I should hope so, The Mayor said to herself.
"My parents are learning to know him."
"Your parents are always seeing the best in people." While I only see the possible betrayals.
"It's important to me"
"Why?"
"I..." Emma tried to answer but couldn't and it was frustrating her to no end. "Just … can you at least be civil with him when I'm here?" She was having a hard time carrying on with the conversation, uncomfortable as usual with these kinds of personal talks. "I don't want my relationship with Killian to mess up my relationship with you. Actually, that's the last thing I want."
"That won't happen." Seeing the skepticism on the blond face, Regina sighed. "I promise it won't happen. Now, come on." The woman said motioning to Emma that it was time to get in the house.
Emma followed wondering if the older woman was really capable of being accomodating when it came to Killian.
"So, did you talk to Regina?" Asked Snow eager to know how it went between her daughter and step-mother. She knew the situation weighted on Emma, her daughter wanting Regina's approval without even realizing it.
"Yes."
"Well?"
"I'm not sure … she said she didn't like him and then assured me that my relationship with Killian would not change our relationship."
Her father send her a reassuring smile. "You have nothing to worry about, Emma. If there is something Regina is good at, it's pretending."
"You're sure?"
"Well she's been doing a pretty great job pretending to like me..."
"David!"
"You know it's true" He said looking at his wife. "Even without all the drama Snow, marrying a shepherd would have been the last thing that she would have wanted for you. You know as well as I know that even in the best circumstances, she would never have allowed us to get married."
"I'm pretty sure you two would have married even without Regina's permission."
Snow smiled at her husband knowing her daughter was probably right.
"Look Emma." David was pointing toward the front door of their apartment. To Emma's stupefaction, Regina and Killian were talking. To each other.
"Listen carefully, Pirate. I promised Emma I would be civil with you. But let me make something clear: you hurt her, David and Snow's little sword and arrows will be the last of your worries. Do you get what I'm saying?" The man nodded not the least disturbed by the woman's words. "Then smile because she's looking at us right now."
Killian smiled at the woman. "After making her life miserable, you're still taking pleasure in threatening the people that care about her. It's almost a relief to see you have not changed that much Your Majesty." Regina chuckled darkly at the man weak attempt at destabilization.
"I'm simply reminding you to be careful, Pirate. I never had much patience for those who tried to hurt my family even when I was myself working to hurt them. If I'm not the one doing the hurting, no one is. And if someone decides to try something despite my warnings" She approached him "they usually suffer."
